Beyond the walls of Honduras lies a realm ruled by a benevolent Lovestory whose lyrics are like sacred texts and vocals smooth like butter. Vanity, a daring pop opus which mirrors the depths of human desire (particularly her desire and enthusiasm), is her sophomore album aligned with Spanish trap and goth electronica. Immigrating to North America further expanded Isabella Lovestory‘s creative horizons. In wormholes on Tumblr and Instagram, she dived into self-expression, and SoundCloud was her genesis.
“Mirror, mirror on the wall”: Isabella Lovestory’s “Vanity Intro” commences with a subtle inquiry into self-reflection, extracting inspiration from the ancient fairytale question: “Who’s the fairest of them all?” The introspective theme is amplified by a mesmerising synth arrangement that rapidly kicks off the vibe frenzy for the compilation. “Fresa Metal”, the subsequent track, introduces a club-ready vibe infused with her melodic signature Spanish flow. This fusion was embodied with an anthemic rap as the song seamlessly transitioned between lively percussion styles.
“Telenovela” is something different; it’s a reggaeton rap track that features grooving lyrics and beats that serenade, with an impressive and unique outro. “Puchica”, yet another reggaeton classic that screams “Pole dance!” is a twerky and energetic, hard-to-pass sound accompanied by vibrant pop elements.
Unlike the other songs, “Eurotrash” is blessed with hard and bouncy rhythmic 808s. The title track “Vanity” sounds like a high school happy pop with textured with synth wave, intriguing to hear. “Putita Boutique” is the first and only feature track, with Isabella joining forces with Argentinian pop artist TAICHU over similarly aggressive synths. In “Gorgeous”, yet another weighty Y2K pop track, Isabella uses it as her safe space to boast about how good-looking she is: “You don’t have to tell me that I’m gorgeous.”
Moving further, “Pill” is honestly just an average pop song, nothing really surprising or more captivating except for the fact that she sang all through the song. In “Bling”, she continues her reggaeton rap, which this time, she infused with futuristic pop elements we can call reggae-pop. In the queue is “VIP”, a club trap with a similar flow as “Telenovela”, which makes it seem like a bonus track. “Tu Te Vas” is rich in bouncy 808s, a bit tedious but not less than average. Finally we have a vibrating sound, “Perfecta”, which is arguably one of the best rap songs on the album, living up to its title.
In conclusion, Isabella Lovestory’s Vanity flashes a seamless fusion of genres that echoes the influence of various icons who have shaped her artistic identity. Hints of Britney Spears’ pop style and Shirley Manson’s alt-rock edge can be heard throughout the album, while the reggaeton influences of Jowell & Randy and Plan B are skillfully interwoven. The result is an interesting collection of tracks that, at times, evokes a similar vibe to a Cardi B record. As the daughter of a DJ who brought The Smiths and The Cure to Honduras, Isabella’s post-punk roots have evolved into a distinctive style all her own, culminating in this noteworthy release.
“Vanity is that struggle that I’ve experienced with having my image be so out there,” she says. “I wanted to romanticize that darkness and turning it into storytelling. I think that’s the goth, emotional side of this album. Each song is a different side of me dealing with vanity itself, in all its beautiful darkness. In the title track, I say I’m a perfume bottle: the bottle is beautiful, but what’s inside is toxic —and it smells so good.”
